Scraper for electric rails.



G. A. DEMMLER.

SCRAPER FOR ELECTRIC RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1911.

1 ,087, 109, Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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GUSTAV A. DEMMLER, 0F FOREST PARK, ILLINOIS.

SCBALPER FOR ELECTRIC RAILS.

. engage the third rail or stationary electric conductor, and remove ice and other undesirable substances therefrom in advance of the contact shoe or moving electric conduo' tor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical and efficient scraper for electric rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide a scraper for electric rails having one or more rail-engaging scraper members or blades, with means for pivotally supporting and yieldingly holding the scraper members or blades in contact with the rail when the scraper is in operation, and means for supporting the scraper or pivoted scraper members in position to be out of engagement with the rail, when desired, whereby the scrapers are adapted to operate with equal efiiciency when the car is moving in either direction.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from an examination of the drawings and the following description and claims.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, and details of construction herein described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a scraper mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention and improvements, with a portion of one of the sides of the frame or casing broken away, showing the construction and arrangement of the pivoted scrapers, the abutments or shoulders for positively limiting the movement of the latter in either direction,the pivoted scrapers, and the spring and link mechanism being shown in full lines in the positions which they would occupy with the device Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 15, 1911.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914. Serial No. 633,322.

moving in the direction of the right hand side of the figure; Fig. 2, a view in transverse section taken on irregular line 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 3, a detail view in vertical transverse section taken through the lower main frame or casing portion, on line 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, showing the shoulders and socket portions of the frame or casing for supporting the pivoted scrapers, with the corresponding pivoted scraper removed; and Fig. 1, a detail view in elevation of one of the pivoted scrapers.

In constructing a scraper for electric rails in accordance wit-h my invention and improvements, I provide a casing or main frame a which, in its preferred form, comprises a topportion 6, side portions ormembers 0, and transverse inclosing end portions (Z, all made of suitable material such as cast metal, and secured together in any desired, ordinary known or suitable manner adapted to enable the inner members to be readily assembled, examined, removed and replaced. In order to accomplish this and render the interior of the frame or casing readily accessible, one or both of the side members 0 are removably secured in position by means of screws or bolts e or similar elements. One or more scrapers f, are provided, each having a lower rail-engaging portion or blade g, the bottom surface of which is rounded or convex, and the opposite sides of which are, by preference concave, forming sharp cutting rail-engaging edges it on each side of the bottom portion of each scraper. The upper part of each scraper is provided with pivot or trunnion portions 6 each of which extends into a bearing or socket j in the side of the frame or casing. The side frame or casing portions 0 are provided with inclined shoulders ic-shoWn in Figs. 1 and 3-adapted to engage the corresponding sides of the respective scrapers and limit the movement of the latter in the direction of such shoulders, respectively.

A spring Z is mounted on the inside of the casing or frame and in engagement with each scraper respectively, for pressing the latter toward or holding them yieldingly in upright position until the tension of the spring or springs is overcome by the scraper or scrapers coming in contact with the rail m causing the respective scrapers to be moved against the tension of said springs to inclined position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, in which position the sharp edges of the scrapers will cut through any ice or other undesirable substance on the third rail m and scrape such substance from the rail so as to afford a properly cleaned surface adapted to form a proper contact between the rail and the electric or contact shoe n by means of which the electric current is conducted from the rail m to the motor or motors. The frictional engagement between the bottom of the scrapers, respectively, and the rail m will cause the cutting edges of the scrapers to become and continue sharp as they are worn away gradually while supported at the desired incline and yield ingly held in engagement with the rail, while in use. The springs Z are secured in position by means of supporting blocks 0, which latter are secured to the upper part of the frame or casing by means of screws or bolts adapted to extend through perforations in the springs or any ordinary known or desired form of securing means.

The main frame or casing a, and the mechanism above described, is supported by the car or truck in such position that the cutting edges of the scrapers pass along in contact with the upper surface of the third rail or electric conductor m, and are yieldingly held in engagement with said rail. In order to enable this to be accomplished in an efiicient manner and in such a manner that the scrapers will each present one cutting edge in contact with the rail, as they are moved in one direction, and another cutting edge, as they are moved in the opposite direction, and will be held in inclined position so that each cutting edge will be kept sharp as the bottom face of the scraper is worn away, and so that each scraper will act with equal efliciency in whatever direction the car may be moving, the main frame or casing and the scrapers contained therein or supported thereby are, by preference, suspended from the trucks or running-gear frame 7) by means of suitable bracket and link mechanism, which, when constructed as herein shown, consists of or comprises links 9, the lower ends of which are connected with the casing or main frame a by means of lugs r and pivots 8. These links extend at an incline in opposite directions from their respective points of connection with the casing or frame, and are connected at their opposite or upper ends with a bracket or bracket arms t or similar support, by means of pivots a. The bracket 6 is secured to a suitable support, such as the beam e, and brackets to, by means of bolts y, the brackets tobeing secured to the truck frame p-indicated in Fig. 2-by means of bolts a, or in any desired ordinary or suitable manner. Compressible springs 2 mounted between the casing or frame a and the bracket 5 or beam o, serve to yieldingly hold the casing and the scrapers supported by the casing, in operative position.

In order to provide means for raising the scrapers out of engagement with the rail or a threaded rod or bolt 3, or other suitable support, is mounted on the beam 0), or similar element supported by the vehicle, or car truck, and connected at its lower end, with the casing. The supporting rod or bolt here shown is provided with an elongated slot or socket a through which a pin 5 extends. The pin 5 is secured to the casing or frame a by means of lugs or brackets 6, and the upper end of the element 3 is secured in upwardly and downwardly movable position upon the beam -'u by means of a nut 7 in threaded engagement with the rod 3. A set screw 8 serves to hold the nut 7 in position upon the threaded rod 3, and the latter is provided with a shoulder portion 9 below the beam o and adapted to limit the upward movement of the rod and permit the casing to be raised or lowered by turning the nut 7 in the required direction. The rod 3 is sufficiently loose in its support to permit it to slide upward and downward with the casing a, and is adapted to hold the casing with its scrapers, in raised position when the latter are not in use.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism pivotally connected with the supporting frame and forming a support for the latter, means for connecting the link mechanism with a railway vehicle, a scraper pivotally mounted in the supporting frame, and means for holding the scraper yieldingly in engagement with a rail.

2. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism connected with the supporting frame and forming a support for the latter, means for pivotally connecting the link mechanism with a railway vehicle, a scraper pivotally mounted in the supporting rains and having sharp scraping edges on opposite sides of the scraper adapted to be tipped alternately into and out of scraping engagement with the rail. to be scraped, and spring mechanism in engagement with the supporting frame and operatively connected with the scraper, for holding the latter in position to yieldingly engage a rail.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism connected with the supporting frame and forming a support for the latter, means for connecting the link mechanism with a railway vehicle, a scraper pivotally mounted in the supporting frame and having sharp scraping edges on opposite sides of the scraper adapted to be tipped alternately into and out of scraping engagement with the rail to be scraped, and shoulders on the supporting frame adapted to engage the scraper, for limiting the movement of the latter with respect to the supporting frame.

4:- In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism connected with the supporting frame and forming a support for the latter, means for connecting the link mechanism with a railway vehicle, a scraper pivotally mounted in the supporting frame and movable to inclined position, and socket members on the supporting frame provided with shoulders adapted to engage the scraper, for holding the latter in engagement with a rail.

5. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism connected with the supporting frame and forming a support for the latter, a bracket connected with a railway vehicle and forming a support for the link mechanism, spring mechanism intermediate the supporting frame and the bracket-supporting element, and scraper mechanism mounted in the supporting frame, and adapted to engage a rail.

6. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism pivotally connected with the supporting frame and forming a support for the latter, means for connecting the link mechanism with a railway vehicle, a scraper mounted in the supporting frame, and means for raising and lowering the supporting frame.

7 In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism pivotally connected with the supporting frame and forming a support for the latter, means for supporting the link mechanism, a scraper mounted in the supporting frame, and means for raising and lowering the supporting frame.

8. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism pivotally connected with the supporting frame and forming a support therefor, a bracket connected with a railway vehicle and forming a support for the link mechanism, scrapers pivotally mounted in the supporting frame, and means for raising and lowering the supporting frame and thereby the scrapers.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism pivotally connected with the supporting frame, means for connecting the link mechanism with a railway vehicle, a scraper pivotally mounted in the supporting frame, and movable to difierent inclined posit-ions, and shoulders on the supporting frame on opposite sides of the scraper, for limiting the movement of the latter.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, link mechanism pivotally connected with the supporting frame and forming a support for the latter, means for supporting the link mechanism, a scraper pivotally mounted in the supporting frame and movable to different inclined positions, shoulders'on the supporting frame adapted to engage the scraper, for holding the latter in engagement with a rail, and means for raising and lowering the supporting frame, and thereby the scraper.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a

scraper pivotally mounted in the supportingframe and movable to different inclined positions, shoulders on the supporting frame on opposite sides of the scraper, and spring mechanism mounted on the supporting frame, for holding the scraper yieldingly in engagement with a rail.

12. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, scrapers pivotally mounted in the supporting frame each movable to different inclined positions, shoulders on. the supporting frame on opposite sides of each scraper, for engaging the latter, and spring mechanism mounted on the supporting frame for holding the scrapers yieldingly in engagement with a rail.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, scrapers pivotally mounted in the supporting frame and each movable to different inclined positions, shoulders on the supporting frame on opposite sides of each scraper and adapted to engage the latter, spring mechanism in engagement with the supporting frame, for holding the latter yieldingly in lowered position, and means for raising and lowering the supporting frame.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, scrapers pivotally mounted in the support ing frame and each movable to inclined positions, shoulders on the supporting frame adjacent to and adapted to engage the scrapers, links pivotally connected with the support-ing frame and forming a support for the latter, means for connecting the links with a railway vehicle, spring mechanism in engagement with the supporting frame for holding the scrapers yieldingly in engagement with a rail, and means for raising and lowering the supporting frame.

GUSTAV A. DEMMLER.

Witnesses DAVID H. FLETCHER, JENNIE L. FIsKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

